This invention relates generally to the field of combination appliances and more particularly to a combination stack fabric washer and dryer having a generally horizontal sliding access door associated with the washer.
Previously known combination appliances for washing and drying fabrics of the type where a fabric dryer is arranged in a stack posture above a fabric washer have generally shown the fabric dryer directly attached to the top of the fabric washer. These previous stacked combination appliances have also shown washer access doors which are pivotally mounted for providing access to the interior of the washer.
One particular manufacturer of a stacked laundry system shows the dryer cabinent mounted directly to the top rear of the washer cabinet with the rear of the dryer cabinet and the rear of the washer cabinet sharing a common vertical plane. The rear of the washer cabinet is open below the dryer cabinet allowing space for connecting electrical and water supplies and a front removable sloping panel below the dryer provides front access to these various supplies. The washer access door is pivoted at the rear and opens upwardly toward the sloping panel to provide access to within the washer.
Dunn, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,700 issued Jan. 31, 1956, discloses a wringer washing machine having a removable sliding lid or tray for covering the tub opening during washing. The lid has a downwardly turned lip or flange around its periphery and slides on a shoulder portion of the tub sides. Each side of the lid has a pair of rubber pads for preventing scratching or rattling as the lid slides upon the shouldered portion of the tub sides.
Geldhof, the U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,137 issued May 6, 1958, shows a combination washing and drying machine with the dryer mounted on top of an intermediate air circulating compartment which is secured to the rear of the washer top cover. The dryer and air circulating compartment are shown overhanging the rear of the washer. The washer access door is hinged at the rear and opens toward the intermediate air circulating compartment.
Menk, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,235 issued Dec. 8, 1970, discloses a vertically stacked combination top loading clothes washer and front loading clothes dryer. The dryer is mounted directly to the washer top cover and slightly overhangs the rear of the washer cabinet. The lower front portion of the dryer cabinet, below the dryer access door, is slanted rearwardly to provide space for opening the washer access door which is pivotally mounted to the top cover of the washer.
The prior art has thus shown stacked dryer and washer combinations where the dryer has been mounted to the washer in a manner to provide a space at the rear of the washer and below the dryer for routing various utility lines. Also, there has been shown a stack arrangement where the rear of the washer and the dryer are located in a common vertical plane and space has been provided below the dryer for the various utility lines. These stack arrangements have utilized a pivotally mounted access door for providing access to within the washer. A removable sliding lid has been shown in a wringer washer environment but there has been no known showing of a combination appliance where the fabric dryer is independently mounted on a stand for positioning the bottom of the dryer in spaced juxtaposition to the top cover of the fabric washer and where a non-removable sliding access door is associated with a horizonal pocket in the top cover of the fabric washer.